Calling for the bill to be “withdrawn and scrapped”, she said: “This is not about trans people. This is about people who could possibly pass themselves off as trans people and invade women’s safe spaces, which are known as actors in bad faith.I cannot support this.
“Trans people deserve respect and dignity. But this law is not about that. It poses a threat to women, especially those who are vulnerable, in safe spaces and that is clearly wrong.”
She added: “I stress that this is not about the rights and dignity of trans people, but about those who pretend to be trans in order to access women’s safe spaces. Any legislation that creates this gap is a concern.”
MacNeil, an MP since 2005, has repeatedly criticized Sturgeon’s independence strategy as too passive and defensive.
He recently urged her to call a snap election at Holyrood and use it as a de facto independence referendum rather than waiting for the next UK general election, as the Prime Minister intends.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Bill as passed is legislative competence and was supported by an overwhelming majority in the Scottish Parliament, with all-party support.
“The Gender Recognition Reform Act simplifies the process by which a trans person can obtain a gender recognition certificate, which many find intrusive, medicalized and bureaucratic. It offers strong safeguards to protect against misuse, including penalties of up to two years in prison.”